The Little Book - Des Moines, Iowa

Uprooting C.

The Little Book is a treasure in the Oak Park/ Highland Park neighborhood. We met for an event at rental space they have available called The Bank.
The book store is cozy and adult & kid-friendly and The Bank is good-sized and bright with a wall of windows.
Staff is friendly & hospitable. We highly recommend!

Alex N.

One of my favorite local bookstores! The Little Book is such an incredible space in a wonderful neighborhood. The variety of products is amazing. I love the emphasis on welcoming everyone into the space and making them feel comfortable. I've so enjoyed getting to know the staff from my many visits, and they have always been so kind and helpful, especially with my many requests to order books they don't have in stock (which has always been super easy to do through their website). Their book clubs are also so much fun. I am excited to see how this store continues to grow and shape our community!

KB B.

Super fun & cute children’s book store! Plenty of space for kids to run around and hang out. And a lot of the stationery is local!!

The owners really made sure to emphasis the importance of community when putting this all together. The mural, the woodwork, the design, products, so much of it came from right here in Des Moines or Iowa.

There is also a clear focus on highlighting other cultures and marginalized groups. Currently, there’s a display for Ramadan and Women’s History Month.

It’s a great place for anyone to come in and hang out and indulge in books!!! (and all the other fun toys and stationery)

Brandy P.

Stopped by during Independent Bookstore Day and was delighted with the store merch and how the store itself is laid out. It is predominantly children's books but there is a curated selection of books for grown ups too. So much thought and care was put into this space from kid sized activity tables to a reading fort to step stools in the restrooms.

Megan H.

We visited for the first time today and will be back often. The store is lovely and very inviting. We loved the variety of books, toys, and other items. Our kids also had so much fun coloring and looking through their books in the kid friendly areas! The seller was also knowledgeable and helpful in finding books.

Molly B.

The Little Book is such a gem in our Highland Park neighborhood! Their book selection is outstanding, covering all the age ranges and so many incredible genres/topics. I love and appreciate that they have sections of books labeled (ocean life, mythology, tough topics, friends/family, animals, etc). and that they have a few toys, stuffed animals, stickers, etc to chose from too. Our boys love to ask for gift cards to The Little Book for Christmas and birthdays (gift cards are available online too!). They have the most welcoming staff and the comfiest couches and chairs to cozy up on to read a couple books or enjoy their story/music times! (They also have a small selection of drinks and snacks…it’s almost like they really understand the way to a child’s heart 😉).

Taryn M. T. (.

They have an excellent selection of children's, middle grade, and YA books, with both familiar titles and quirky options that I haven't seen elsewhere. Also a small selection of thoughtfully chosen toys and bookish merchandise. You can tell from the moment you walk in how much the store has proudly focused on diversity, inclusion, and social justice. They recently expanded the adult section, and though the space is small, the books are just as carefully selected - not just a collection of recent best sellers, but specifically chosen books that show they know their audience well.

But most importantly, the owners and employees clearly care about creating a space for everyone in the community. I have always felt welcomed and invited, even with small children. Our book budget is unfortunately limited, but when our family is able to invest in books, it will be at The Little Book and other small local bookstores in an effort to keep these spaces around in times when they are desperately needed.

Laura W.

What a lovely store. Great selection of books for all ages as well as other toys and knick knacks. Bethany and team are welcoming, knowledgeable, and friendly every time. I love that they do so much to build community as well!